Just One More Thing
by Still Lost in Translation
Summary: Picking up five weeks after 5x13 "White Lies Part Three" as Andy drives home from a Doctor's appointment


_When I finished watching "White Lies Part Three" I didn't stop screaming for about three hours. As I tried to work out how I was going to write missing scenes for my other story_ _ **At The End of the Day**_ _I had an idea that amused the crap out of me. I shared this idea with Kadi219 who encouraged me to write it now rather than wait until chapter 40 ish._

 _I am no Doctor, obviously, but I have been in Sharon's position twice so have written what I experienced at the hands of our fabulous NHS. This may be different to the US but I have done my best. The tooth ache refers to 'referred pain' that my Mom experienced before she had stents fitted. In fact tooth ache was her only problem and she only connected it to her heart because of an episode of Frasier. In essence Frasier saved her life._

 _As usual I don't own any of these characters etc etc._

 _Enjoy._

 **Just One More Thing**

Andy opened the car window. The traffic was at a standstill causing his frustration to reach fever pitch. He sighed as he craned his neck trying to see the obstacle ahead but saw nothing but a long line of cars. The breeze from the open window hit his face and calmed him slightly, helping to fractionally subside his desperate desire to get home. It was a beautiful day, glorious some might say but Andy didn't notice. He didn't care. He was agitated. No scratch that, he was beyond agitated. It was like he had a volcano buried deep within him waiting to erupt and spill over into nervous energy if only he'd let it and being trapped in a car wasn't helping at all. The cars ahead showed no sign of moving an inch much less clearing altogether. He wanted to scream out loud but held in it, save scaring the crap out of Rusty since he'd frightened him and everyone else enough recently. His leg started to jiggle, the clear outlet from his build-up of energy but that soon subsided as the pain from the final remnants of the ridiculously large bruise which stretched from just above his knee to his groin caused him to wince slightly. How could it still hurt? It had been over five weeks and it was just a bruise for crying out loud, admittedly the biggest one he'd ever seen in his life but still a bruise nonetheless. His last stab wound healed quicker than this, it hurt a lot less too but, and he reminded himself of this a lot, it could have been worse. A lot worse.

Traffic was still at a complete standstill. It would be quicker to walk home he thought except he didn't quite have the energy for that, well that wasn't strictly true, he did have the energy, more than enough but he was currently saving what reserves he had stockpiled for much more tantalising and exciting things than walking. Andy was quick to blame the new set of beta blockers he was taking for his lethargy. They had made him somewhat sluggish compared to the ones he had taken before his heart attack but it was an improvement. The previous prescription he left the hospital with had left him unable to raise an eyebrow much less contemplate raising anything else so Andy made sure to inform his Doctor of those side effects immediately and try something new. He had learned his lesson when it came to side effects, and learned it the hard way. He was still a little tired despite the improvement and that was taking some getting used to but he refused to allow a bunch of pills to stop him, stop him from doing anything. He sighed again. God damn downtown traffic. Andy put his head back on the headrest and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath along the way to calm himself down. Even with his eyes closed he could still tell Rusty was keeping a watchful eye on him from behind the wheel, checking that he wasn't about to keel over in front of him yet again. If you listened to Rusty you would think that Andy did it on purpose.

"I'm just resting my eyes for a minute. I'm fine" Andy said slightly grumpily as he attempted to reassure Rusty for what seemed like the two hundredth time in the last twenty four hours. He had become worse than Sharon. Rusty didn't like to let Andy out of his sight for even a second when he was once again tasked with 'Flynn Sitting Duty' even though Andy was fine and was long past the point of needing supervision. Rusty was like Andy's own personal stalker, his shadow and he desperately missed his privacy and a little piece and quiet. Even spending too long in the bathroom to escape his gaze only resulted in Rusty banging on the door and threatening to call the paramedics.

"Okay. I know." Rusty paused for a moment as he watched Andy squirm in his seat. It was like he was sitting on a bed of fire ants. Something was definitely wrong, a worrying fact in itself, even more troublesome since they were currently driving back from the Doctor's office. "Do you want to go to PAB or..." Rusty started to ask.

Andy cut him off. "No let's go home. Sharon's busy." Andy sighed again as he rubbed his face and jiggled his legs a second time before wincing. He just wanted to go home, was that such an unreasonable request?

While they sat and waited the silence was filled with the sound of car engines and the radio. As it finished playing a commercial for yet another local car dealership where the owner wrongly assumed the best way to sell a used car was to scream at the top of his lungs, the station ID came on before the DJ cut in. He waffled on for five minutes about the evils of corn dogs in his son's hands (what the boy did with the corn dog wasn't fully explained but it was clear that he shouldn't be left alone with the family pet ever again) as they crawled along towards the next set of lights before finally some music hit the airwaves. Andy had never heard that particular song before but in light of his urgency to get home and his reasons for that he couldn't help but smile at the lyrics. He covered his mouth with his hand and immediately started laughing to himself, filing the title of it away for later when he could make better use of this interesting choice of song.

Rusty turned to him. "What's so funny?" he asked as he turned the volume down a little.

"Nothing kid. It's just been a long few weeks that's all."

There was no argument from Rusty about that as he nodded. "Okay." Rusty smiled before turning his attention back to the road and the traffic that was slowly moving ahead of them.

Andy sighed again as he looked out of the window. It was over. He could finally see an end in sight, daylight at the end of a very dark, very bleak tunnel. It had been a difficult and some might say horrendous five, nearly six weeks but before that life was hard. What they were dealing with at work had taken a lot out of everyone involved without taking Taylor's death into consideration and that was before Andy suddenly and unexpectedly collapsed outside Sharon's office. In truth Andy didn't remember a lot about what happened to him or the subsequent twelve hours. He remembered feeling uncomfortable and a bit sweaty as Sharon checked he was okay after he felt his neck and shoulder before he blamed his woes on Wes until suddenly and out of nowhere he had pins and needles up his arm and it felt like there was like an elephant pressing down onto his chest, making it incredibly hard to breathe. The pain he felt as he slumped to the ground was simply indescribable and not in anywhere approaching the same ball park as getting thrown from a car or getting stabbed or shot. What followed was pretty much a drug induced fog until he woke up the following morning feeling like absolute crap, a pain in his leg like no other and with Sharon staring at him, looking pale and as frail as he felt with a look of deep concern on his face, a look he hadn't wished to see on her face ever again.

But that was Andy. Sharon on the other hand remembered everything, every single tiny detail as time seemed to stretch out before her in a never ending landscape of worry and stress. With the aspirin swallowed and the paramedics called there was nothing else to do but wait for them to arrive and help him. Mike had removed Andy's tie and unbuttoned the top of his shirt to allow quicker access to his chest but that was it. No words were spoken, there was nothing to say especially after they heard their Captain utter something other than Andy's name for the first time since he hit the floor, something that broke the hearts of everyone in attendance as the scene played out before them. As Sharon crouched by his side with one hand on his cheek, stroking it with her thumb, and the other on top of his as it clutched his heart she said plainly "Andy Flynn don't you dare leave me." The emotion in her voice was raw and if her colleagues didn't feel helpless at the sight of Andy lying on the floor they certainly did after hearing Sharon's desperate plea to him.

Provenza was the first one to suggest that everyone take a step back to give them some air (like a closer proximity had the ability to steal valuable oxygen from Andy but at the time he didn't know what else to say or do) and leave the pair of them as they waited. Wes made himself useful by running downstairs with Julio, holding the elevator doors open so the paramedics had instant access when they arrived and someone to show them the way. Everyone else just watched in silence, ready to step in if need be with all of them trained in emergency first aid, not that it was needed as Andy continued to hold his own.

Andy's breathing was laboured but it was regular. Likewise Sharon could feel his heart pounding through his chest. It was fast but it was consistently so. Within moments of him sliding to the ground Andy and Sharon locked eyes and there they remained. After the fear left Andy's eyes, a look of fear that haunted Sharon for several nights afterwards until she had him back in their bed again, he just stared at her, not saying a word as he could do nothing but concentrate on maintaining his own breathing as he clutched Sharon's hand on top of his own above his heart. He sat memorising her face like it was the first time he'd ever seen her rather than it being potentially the last.

To Sharon it seemed like they were waiting for hours but it was more like two or three minutes with Andy picking the perfect place imaginable to have a heart attack. The ambulance that attended to him was only two blocks away and the hospital they took him to a mere ten blocks away. If he had been at home when it happened he might not have faced such a hopeful prognosis. Had he not moved in with Sharon when he did and been in his former home at the time, things would have been much more bleak. As they heard the paramedics wheeling the gurney towards them Andy's face suddenly changed. The concentration had gone and instead he smiled at Sharon and had a look in his eye like he was about to say something. With the paramedics seconds from clearing Sharon out of the way Andy's smile grew before he said "I love you." It was croaky and not much above a whisper but everyone heard him as he made sure that despite having told her how he felt hundreds of times since he first said those three little words to her, he wasn't going to make the same mistake twice and disappear into the hands of surgeons without letting her know how he felt one final time.

Sharon's breath caught in the back of her throat for a moment. "I love you too" she said as she removed her hand from his to make way for the paramedics. "I'll be right here" she added while staying in his eye line as they set about their work, giving him oxygen and setting up an IV and heart monitor. Within seconds Provenza stood by her side, their shoulders touching as he took her hand in his like it was something he did a dozen times a day. She didn't look at him, she was too busy focusing on Andy but squeezed his hand tightly, a gesture to say thank you as much as it was to comfort Provenza himself as she sensed how much he needed it as well.

During the ambulance ride to the hospital Andy remained stable. He never took his eyes off Sharon as she gripped his hand tightly. Their eye contact was only broken on the short journey when the EMT attending to Andy in the back insisted on giving him some pain relief to make him more comfortable. Sharon knew this meant morphine without having to ask. She also knew that she was probably going to have to do battle with Andy over it but she now had a bigger say in the matter and he was in no position to argue. The day that Andy had his paperwork signed by Provenza and Sharon to go back out in the field following his recovery from his blood clot he also gave her additional forms to sign. With him potentially being put into harm's way once more Andy thought it only right that Sharon have a bigger say over his life and handed her his medical power of attorney (which Provenza was only too happy to hand over to her as he mumbled 'Custody of Lieutenant Andy Flynn is now yours. He's your problem now' followed by a quick handshake with his Captain). As the EMT prepared the pain relief Sharon quickly explained to Andy that they would deal with any consequences together at a later date but for now he had to take what they wanted to give him. Andy didn't speak, he just nodded as again he kept his eyes fixed on her. One injection into his IV later and that became much harder for him as sleep continually threatened to take him.

When they reached the hospital Andy was whisked away and Sharon was left to sit and wait and hope with nothing but paperwork for company. She wasn't alone for long with the rest of the division arriving en masse with Rusty and Gus in tow before she heard any news on Andy's condition. Ignoring the Doctor calling her 'Mrs Flynn' with far more important matters at hand Sharon listened intently to everything he had to say. It was a struggle throughout. Blood was thundering past her ears. She felt like she was listening to everything while under water as she kept shaking her head, trying to clear her senses so she didn't miss anything. Andy had been given a thrombolytic immediately upon his arrival which had dissolved the clot and stopped the heart attack. The drug combined with the speed in which he had taken the aspirin that Amy had immediately grabbed from her drawer made the Doctor quite optimistic that limited damage had been done to his heart muscle itself but they wouldn't know for certain until further tests were done. Those tests were for the future however, right now they needed to ascertain what caused it to happen in the first place. In a few moments they would once again whisk Andy away but this time to the Cath Lab for a procedure. Best case scenario Andy had a blockage in one (or maybe more) arteries that could be sorted out with an angioplasty and potentially stents would need to be fitted. Worst case scenario Andy may need bypass surgery but before any of that took place they afforded Sharon the opportunity to spend five minutes with him before taking him off to sort the problem one way or another once and for all.

As Sharon slowly followed the Doctor through the double doors the only thing she was aware of was the beeping of the machines, tracing Andy's vitals. She walked towards him, making his face instantly erupt into a smile. It was a goofy looking smile as his eyes repeatedly opened and closed incredibly slowly. He was quite clearly as high as a kite from the morphine. In a small way it made it easier for Sharon to hold herself together as she couldn't help but smile at him and the ridiculous expression on his face.

"Hey there troublemaker" Sharon said quietly as she kissed him on his forehead and took his hand tightly in hers, bringing it to her heart. Andy continued to smile at her, one of her anyway, it was quite clear he was probably seeing about three Sharon's standing before him at that particular moment.

"Are you high by any chance?" Sharon asked. Andy's eyes closed and opened again as he gave the smallest of nods. "I thought so."

Sharon ran her hand down the side of his face and sighed. "What am I going to do with you?"

Andy winked before very slowly removing his oxygen mask, almost poking himself in the eye with the pulse oximetry monitor on his finger as he moved. "I'm sorry" he said quietly.

At that Sharon's brave facade crumbled as the tears fell freely from her eyes. She leant down again and kissed him on the lips before returning his oxygen mask back to his face. "Oh Andy don't be ridiculous" she said. "Don't be sorry, just get better."

She brought his hand to her lips as they continued to just stare at each other until hushed voices and a slight commotion behind Sharon caught her attention. She turned away from Andy for a second to see Provenza and Rusty stood together, waiting for an appropriate moment to approach and interrupt. Sharon waved them over but they were still a little hesitant and slow to join her with Sharon clearly hearing Provenza say "Remember" to Rusty in a very stern tone as they walked towards her. Sharon took this as an indicator that Provenza and Rusty had exchanged words before they followed her in. She correctly assumed that this was Provenza informing Rusty that he needed to stay strong for her, words that were now required after Andy had moved in and Rusty was now much more emotionally attached to him than he was the last time he found himself in a hospital bed. In dealing with Rusty Provenza had neglected his own issues and probably should have taken the time to compose himself more thoroughly instead.

Andy looked small and frail in that bed and it was a shock to Provenza. He cleared his throat and smiled warmly before gently placing a hand on Andy's leg, squeezing it lightly. Upon seeing his partner looming over him Andy pointed at Provenza before jabbing him in the chest with his finger as hard as he could muster. He then pointed straight at Sharon without saying a word. It was all too clear that in that moment Provenza was instructed to take care of Sharon should Andy not make it through the coming hours. Provenza simply nodded as the lump in his throat appeared for the first time since his mother died several decades before and rendered him incapable of speech for a brief moment. All he could do was nod in return, glancing at Sharon and clearing his throat once more before returning his attention back to his friend. With Provenza dealt with Andy then beckoned Rusty towards him. He removed his oxygen mask before grabbing Rusty by the neck and pulled him towards him, planting a kiss on his forehead. That was as much time as Andy could afford them as his attention moved back to studying every inch of Sharon's face. As they turned to leave it was hardly mission accomplished with Provenza and Rusty complete emotional wrecks rather than being the strong ones, the rocks that should have been looking after Sharon during her time of need.

Within moments of them being left alone the porters arrived to take Andy away. As they got his bed ready to move Sharon was afforded the opportunity to join their lips together one last time before once again telling him "I'll wait for you." She wanted to tell him that she loved him and to hold on for her, for their life together but went with the more familiar expression of love between them to make him smile. It worked. Andy smiled up at her as he battled to keep his eyes open and focused solely on her face as he was wheeled away. After that there was nothing else left to do but wait. If they were spoken to too early that meant stents were not going to be enough and he needed a bypass, an hour or so meant that he had received the angioplasty with possibly a couple of stents. But regardless the timing of any news was going to cause panic as it could so easily mean that Andy hadn't made it, something Sharon didn't want to contemplate but couldn't stop her mind drifting to repeatedly as she sat staring into space. 'Mrs Flynn' was advised to go and get something to eat by the nursing staff instead of waiting but Sharon wouldn't move, neither would Provenza or Rusty for that matter. It was left to Amy, Julio and Buzz to fetch a round of coffees as everyone else made a valiant attempt to keep her company and continued to reassure her that everything would be okay because the alternative was simply unthinkable. With lateness of the hour and because of what the previous six days had taken out of all of them Sharon insisted that everyone went home to get some rest but they wouldn't hear of it. They were going nowhere.

As they waited Sharon 'ummmed' and 'ahhhhed' about whether she should phone Nicole and Daniel now to inform them what had happened to their father or wait until she had more news. There was no point scaring them half to death if she could have more positive information in an hour and save them just an ounce of heartache she thought. She sought Provenza's advice who offered to call them himself but Sharon wanted to do it, they were living together, they were a family and this sort of task was now her responsibility. It wasn't a nice job but at least it would be a small distraction. Since Nicole could be there within the hour she eventually opted to call them both, passing a few minutes as she waited for news.

Two hours later and Sharon was notified that Andy was resting comfortably in recovery and would shortly be moved to the ICU for a few hours before being transferred to his own room for the night. Andy had two arteries that were pretty clogged up and no vegetarian diet was good enough to erase the lifetime of damage that was done before his change in lifestyle. An angioplasty was performed under a local aesthetic and two stents were put in place to allow his blood to flow more freely through his heart. They had opted to perform the procedure via the artery in his groin rather than in his wrist which had become more popular of late, the decision being made because it looked an easier access point. Although it was minimally invasive (especially in comparison to a full heart bypass) and a small incision at best it still left Andy with the largest bruise he had ever had in his life on his upper leg. It was black (before turning practically all the colours of the rainbow as it improved over the weeks that followed) before Sharon had chance to see him for the first time and was still the cause of quite some pain as he sat in the car on the way back from the Doctor's office with Rusty. Thankfully because it was such a minimally invasive procedure Andy wouldn't be in hospital too long. Had the angioplasty taken place before Andy had a heart attack then he would have been released from hospital that day or at worst the next morning but because it came after he was likely to spend two or three days in the care of the medical staff just to make sure.

The relief Sharon felt when she was told the good news was palpable. She cried. She cried in front of her entire division, slipping to the floor for a moment with her hands covering her face before hugging Rusty so tight he thought his lungs might burst. Not that this display of emotion mattered in front of the division, at that moment in time they were her friends not her subordinates and in truth she wasn't the only one to shed a tear out of joy and relief. Provenza warned Buzz vehemently that if told anyone that he'd seen him wipe away an errant spot of moisture that leaked from his eyes from relief then he'd stick his foot up his ass and wear him like a shoe. Buzz didn't say a word, he just hugged him before he hugged everyone else. Leaving the celebrating group in her wake Sharon immediately went to sit with Andy in the ICU which was more for her benefit than his as Andy remained asleep throughout his stay in intensive care. When he was transferred to a regular room on the cardiac ward everyone had chance to visit him for a few moments and reassure themselves that he was and would continue to be okay. Andy remained blissfully unaware of their presence as he slept soundly from a mixture of exhaustion and the drugs he had pumping through his body.

A long day after a long week came to a close shortly after and when everyone had left (Rusty wanted to stay but Sharon ordered Gus to make sure he went home to get some sleep and bring her a change of clothes and Andy's essentials for his stay the following morning) Sharon moved her chair as close to his bed as possible and gripped his hand in hers. Andy remained asleep, only waking once in the middle of the night to stroke her hair as her head rested on his bed next to his hip and quietly uttered "I told you those nightgowns were going to kill me" in reference to her current switch in night time attire since he had moved in with her properly. Sharon laughed and kissed his forehead before making a valiant attempt to get comfortable for the remainder of her sleepless night while never releasing his hand.

It was no surprise to either of them that Andy was so tired, Sharon felt the same way. Taking what had happened to him in the last five hours out of the equation for a moment life had been pretty hectic for several weeks and barely left him the time to draw breath let alone sleep. Firstly Andy was exhausted from moving house. In the weeks leading up to the sale of his home he had been busy packing up all his worldly possessions in the rare hours he wasn't at work or with Sharon at his future residence. As a result he hardly slept when he stayed at home choosing to box his life up instead so the move could be made sooner rather than later. Then the move finally happened, officially. In truth not much had changed in their day to day lives. He'd been practically living at Sharon's for several weeks ever since he found himself being shot at in a hotel corridor by Elliot Chase (potentially a knee jerk reaction from Sharon in light of what happened but regardless she made it clear that he needed to sell his house as quickly as possible and move in with her, adding house hunting could wait a little, for now moving in together as quickly as possible was the most important thing), the only difference was he now had all of his clothes in one place and a few photos of his children out and about around the bedroom.

Quite quickly everything settled down into a happy rhythm at home after the move and just as Andy and Sharon were both about to catch up on some much needed rest and relaxation and enjoy the honeymoon period they found themselves in the massacre in the courtroom happened and that was the end of that. The stress that came with not only losing Russell Taylor right in front of him but Sharon's reaction to his death and shooting Dwight was unbearable. What made it even harder was that Sharon was breaking in front of him and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. It broke his heart just to look at her, the pain behind her eyes but he couldn't turn away. It was like Sharon didn't know who she was as a person anymore and Andy felt helpless, completely helpless.

In the six nights that led up to Andy's heart attack he hardly slept a wink. The first night was spent hard at work. While the division went to search the house belonging to Deputy Simms for any evidence as to why he would be targeted in Dwight's rampage and later to Hai Sun's home in search of clues as to her whereabouts Sharon was confined to the office, unable to go out into the field until she received the all clear from Behavioural Sciences the following morning (a mere formality since Sharon wrote the questions and the answers even though she was anything but ready to be cleared in reality). Andy begged her to go home and get some sleep but she wouldn't hear of it. There was no way she would sleep with everything hanging over her and besides she found it uncomfortable to go to bed when she knew Andy was at work (So far what Sharon did if Andy was rolled out during night time hours had been their main issue in regards to working together and dating. Sharon wanted to roll out with him but Andy pointed her towards their rule book and informed her that if the ' _Captain_ ' of Major Crimes was needed he was sure her second in command would be in contact, until then ' _Sharon_ ' needed to go back to bed, something she never did opting to read until Andy either returned after being stood down or until she was called downtown instead). Eventually Andy managed to get her to lie down in her office under a blanket with the intention of going to sleep but he knew full well that she would be up, pacing about the murder room and wearing a hole in The Pope's floor the moment he stepped foot in the elevator.

The second night was an altogether different challenge. When they had finally arrived home Andy battled to get Sharon to open up to him and admitted defeat shortly before they went to bed. Andy was asleep for no more than an hour before he woke up and discovered Sharon missing. He found her in the kitchen on her hands and knees cleaning out the kitchen cabinets, unable to sleep or switch her mind off. He tried to talk to her but as she suspected and feared to a certain extent they weren't on the same page when it came to taking Dwight's life and she didn't want to discuss it with him. He tried his best to lighten the mood which only helped to irritate Sharon causing her to lock him on the balcony to get him to leave her alone. After his banging on the glass woke Rusty and he let Andy back in Sharon eventually managed to speak to him and open up with Andy's suggestion of her speaking to her priest being the best thing he could have said to her. With sleep still elusive Andy helped her clean the kitchen into the wee small hours before they retired to bed where they talked about anything and everything until their alarm went off and they got up to return to work.

The third and fourth nights were equally challenging. They would go to bed before Andy was woken not long after to find Sharon missing. He would find her, get her to join him in bed again before he fell asleep and then waking to find her missing once more. Wash, rinse, repeat.

The fifth night was no better. After absolution from not only her priest but also Wildred Darnell Sharon was feeling much better about the world, her place in it and what she was forced into doing in that courtroom but that didn't help her sleep. For the fourth night running Andy woke quite early to discover her missing. He was considering cuffing her to the bed frame. Thankfully this time she wasn't up to her elbows in dirty water and cleaning but instead sitting quietly hard at work mentally trying to solve the whole conspiracy on her own. With little trouble he managed to coax her back to bed but once again instead of sleep they talked away for hours until Sharon eventually wore herself out and went to sleep through sheer exhaustion. Andy was not so lucky with the weird pain in his neck and shoulder that seemed to originate from his tooth keeping him awake until the sun came up.

On the sixth night things were better but sleep was still lacking but only for Andy. They worked late in the living room, going over all the evidence from the truck raids that they could pin on Jordan Graff. Sharon still didn't feel like she could sleep with Andy telling her she just needed to relax and sleep would eventually wash over her naturally. Andy further suggested a long hot bath and a glass of wine, Sharon responded by pressing her lips to his and telling him that in her experience sex worked much better. Andy had no objections and it seemed to work with Sharon sleeping soundly the first time in six days. Andy on the other hand struggled, that weird pain keeping him awake once more.

Taking all of that into consideration it was no wonder that Andy slept soundly, even when he was being poked and prodded by nurses, throughout that first night in hospital. He recovered quickly the following day, with the damage to his heart minimal at worst and fully expected to be released twenty four hours later. Sadly for Andy he was kept in four days longer than expected because of a mystery high temperature, a delay which caused him to miss Taylor's funeral (it was highly unlikely that Sharon would have allowed him to go anyway but it still pissed Andy off nonetheless). Four days later and with his temperature being exactly the same as the day he was admitted Andy's Doctor put it down to him being an incredibly hot person, something Sharon could have told them at the start of the week (sharing a bed with Andy was like sleeping next to a furnace so it was no wonder he had to sleep with his legs sticking out of bed).

With Andy back home rest and recuperation became the buzz words for the second time in their relatively short relationship so far. However unlike his behaviour after the scrape with the car Andy had no objection to Sharon taking care of him, his fear about what had happened to him and how close he came to death clearly a factor. Sharon took two weeks' vacation and stayed by his side throughout as she savoured every single second they spent together, enjoying his company and lazy afternoons on the couch watching old Cary Grant movies rather than acting as his nurse. Andy's progress was slow but steady as he built his stamina back up, for once following every rule he was given to the letter as he got stronger. Medically he was technically healthier than he was in the months leading up to his heart attack but trusting that and letting go of the fear that his life could be snatched away at any moment was a different obstacle for him entirely.

After two weeks at home Sharon finally went back to work with Andy able to take care of himself (something he'd been able to do for a few days but kept quiet because he liked spending all day with her) even though Rusty was never far from his side. Work was the reason that Rusty was driving Andy back home from the Doctor instead of Sharon. She always went to his appointments with him just so she could be satisfied in her own mind that he was okay. Hearing it from the Doctor made it much more real unlike when she heard news from Andy since he tended to embellish the situation for his own amusement. In theory this appointment with the Doctor was going to be Andy's last for at least six months with everyone expecting him to be allowed to return to a desk job for the time being the following week. Sharon desperately wanted to be with him when he got the all clear but Major Crimes had been rolled out to a crime scene that morning which bordered on being something from a horror film. A wood chipper had been found with half a body sticking out of it (with the murderer either getting bored disposing of the evidence or it simply being too much for his stomach to take to finish the job). The majority of the body was taken away in a bucket with Dr Morales describing it as 'The worst jigsaw puzzle in the world' as he tried to assist in the identification of the victim and establish any sort of cause of death. With such a horrific murder on their hands Sharon had no choice but to abandon Andy and go into work instead. With his appointment over Andy wanted nothing more than to get home as quickly as possible, put the last five weeks behind him and if possible, celebrate like there was no tomorrow.

As they arrived back home Rusty tried his hardest not to ask Andy what was wrong since he seemed so restless during their car ride before he suddenly started walking very slowly towards their front door. The truth was far from worrying. Andy was busy thinking and plotting. He wanted to find a way to get Rusty to leave him alone in the condo for the rest of the day but had no idea how he was going to do it. Upon entering the condo Rusty immediately dumped his bag on the floor by the couch and moved to the kitchen in search of food, a clear indication that he was looking to settle in for afternoon with no intention of going anywhere. Andy stood by the front door with his hand clutching the handle as he pondered the easiest way possible to edge Rusty back towards it and out for the rest of the day. It was going to be hard. Andy had made a conscious effort over the course of his relationship with Sharon thus far to never actively seek to force Rusty from his home even for the briefest of moments. After all Andy was the one that had moved in with them, he was the invading force, the cuckoo in the nest and with how Rusty reacted to him initially, with such caution, suspicion and indeed hostility Andy still felt the need to handle him with kid gloves as much as humanly possible. That was until, he found himself having a heart attack a mere few weeks after moving in with the woman of his dreams and receiving the subsequent all clear from his Doctor an hour earlier. Now he wanted him gone as quickly as possible. As Andy slowly closed the front door it was crystal clear to Rusty that something wasn't quite right with him, he had grabbed himself a bowl of cereal in the same time it had taken Andy to walk through the door. In the past thirty five days Rusty had become accustomed to the 'go slow' mode that Andy found himself in of late, mainly at the insistence of Sharon but this was something else. Despite the speed he was moving he looked restless, agitated and there was clearly something wrong.

Rusty frowned at Andy as he remained hovering by the door looking at his watch. Rusty knew he had to tread carefully. If he asked Andy if he was okay too often (and by too often it was nearly every thirty minutes in the first couple of weeks after his release from hospital) it made him irritated. As a result Rusty had only asked him if he was okay when they climbed in the car an hour earlier rather than insisting on a full medical update despite desperately wanting to know what the Doctor had told him. Since Andy hadn't complained Rusty could only assume everything was okay despite the body language he was presenting leaning towards the contrary. "So are you going to call Mom to tell her the good news?" he asked hesitantly while trying not to sound too concerned, something Andy had already cautioned him about in the car.

"Yeah in a minute" he replied a little distractedly. Moments later Andy finally made his way into the room and sat on the back of the couch, sighing loudly. "Can we have a little man to man conversation first?" he asked with almost a cringe.

"Okay." Rusty looked confused and a little awkward as he placed his bowl on the kitchen counter and sat next to Andy. "If this is about the whole birds and the bees thing you're several years too late."

Andy laughed for a brief moment. If only Rusty knew how close he was to the truth. "Jeez if I ever go to have that sort of conversation with you, you have my permission to slap me." Andy rubbed his neck a few times as he thought about what to say next. He definitely wanted to steer the conversation in one direction in particular and manoeuvre his would be step son out of the front door as quickly as possible but Rusty had inadvertently given him the opportunity to discuss something more personal. "I mean we get along okay right?" Andy asked with a smile.

"Sure" Rusty nodded sincerely. It was true. For a long time now they had been getting along swimmingly. Rusty could trace that final step with Andy back to when he took him to see the 'House of Horrors' as it came to be known. He came to realise as the realtor followed Andy around the front yard despite his loud threats that he'd shoot him if he didn't leave him alone and Sharon tried to calm the situation down that while he didn't want to move (that condo was the only real home he'd ever had after all), he had no problem with Andy moving in with them. In fact he was almost looking forward to it, Andy was there all the time anyway and he was starting to enjoy his company. Aside from that it was all too clear that Andy was the man Sharon wanted to spend the rest of her life with and since he had entered into a relationship himself and had fallen in love with Gus (although he wasn't ready to admit that out loud at the time) he had realised what an important milestone that was in a person's life. After that and long before his heart attack Rusty found himself increasingly turning to Andy for advice on all matters instead of Provenza and Buzz because Andy was now his father figure in waiting, waiting for the moment when Sharon would finally commit.

"If you've got a problem that you can't talk to your Mom about you know I'm here right?" Andy said as he seized the opportunity to reach out to him.

"Of course." Rusty's face suddenly dropped as he tried not to look disgusted. "But this man to man conversation...you're not going to make me inspect an area only my Mom usually sees are you?"

"Oh God no!" Andy stood and started to pace in front of Rusty. "It's more of a favour really." He paused for a moment. "Rusty what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"I was going to work on editing my….."

"How much would it cost me to get you to leave now and stay with Gus overnight tonight?" Andy stopped pacing and stared at Rusty with a fair amount of apprehension, apprehension that was incredibly easy to misinterpret given his latest recent health crisis.

"Why? Is this something to do with what the Doctor told you? Are you ill?" Rusty asked quickly and more than a tad panic stricken as he took to his feet.

"No. Far from it" Andy said trying to calm the situation. "I've been given a completely clean bill of health. I can go back to work, a desk job only but still, I can drive again and I can…." Andy paused as he thought of the best phrase to use that wouldn't traumatise the boy every single day for the rest of his life, "climb a flight of stairs again." Andy looked at Rusty from the corner of his eye and desperately hoped that he would understand his meaning without him having to spell it out for him.

"Okay. So why do you need me to clear out?" Rusty asked confused.

Andy sighed. He really didn't want to go into detail if he didn't have to but it suddenly looked unavoidable. "Because your Mom and I might want to celebrate the fact that I can..." Andy paused once more, "climb a flight of stairs again."

Rusty looked beyond confused. The building had an elevator, so did PAB. What was the big deal about being able to climb stairs? "What? What's so special about….." Then suddenly the penny dropped as did Rusty's face when realisation hit him. Andy had been walking up and down the stairwell of the building for close to two weeks as exercise so it could only be a euphemism. 'Climb a flight of stairs' was quite clearly code. A code for one thing: _Sex_. Rusty's face immediately contorted into a disgusted and beyond mortified expression. He emitted a noise that could only be described as being similar to a ghost having an orgasm before shouting "Oh my God! Really? This is just beyond disgusting" before he made a desperate attempt to escape to the confines of his bedroom where he might be able to pour bleach into his mind's eye and forget the conversation had ever taken place.

"Hey do I say a word when Gus spends the night?"

Rusty stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face Andy again. "But we're like a third of your age" he pointed out looking no less horrified about the sex chat her was forced into having.

"There is no age limit on….climbing stairs" Andy said with a smile.

Rusty immediately flailed his arms wildly like he was waving a plane in to land. "Okay stop saying that or I'll never be able to go above the first floor ever again."

Andy looked confused. "Is that a euphemism?"

"No! I'm talking about actual stairs!" Rusty shouted as Andy tried very hard not to laugh. When he couldn't hold it any longer Andy laughed violently and Rusty soon followed despite the continued look of horror on his face. Then just as quickly silence fell on the room as the awkwardness hung above them like thunder clouds. Rusty started to pace back and forth as he processed what he was being asked to do and more importantly why. "If you could stop collapsing for more than three days we might have found a house to live in by now and this wouldn't be an issue" Rusty said very matter-of-factly as he heaped all the blame on to Andy's shoulders for any lack of privacy due to the smallness of the condo. "And just so you know that bathroom isn't as sound proof as you both seem to think it is."

Andy looked mortified himself for a moment before turning the attention back on Rusty, with two being able to play this game. "Hey I've done everything possible to make sure you hear nothing. But now I can drive again I'll start looking for a house immediately because believe it or not it works both ways you know."

"What do you mean?" Rusty asked horrified.

"Do you think it's a picnic for me lying in bed at night and listening to you and Gus...climb stairs?" Andy asked with a cringe as he covered his face with his hands, immediately regretting what he had just said.

Rusty covered his ears. "Stop talking! We never discuss this again!"

"Agreed" Andy stated with a sigh as he sat back down on the back of the couch with his head in his hands wondering why the kid couldn't just leave without asking any questions. Why did he always have questions? This was not turning out the way he had hoped. In truth Andy had been told when he left the hospital over a month ago that the rule of thumb was, if he could comfortably climb a flight of stairs he could have sex again. In fact having sex was actually good for him medically speaking but Andy knew full well that Sharon would never take his word for it especially since he struggled to so much as scratch his arm without her asking 'What's wrong?' and leaping up to help him. Andy had desperately hoped that Sharon would be with him when he got the good news and she could hear it for herself but as usual work had the habit of getting in the way of the really important things in life so he'd been forced to create a backup plan that was currently burning a hole in his pocket.

"But Sharon is still at work. Why do I have to leave now?" Rusty asked. Andy could only shrug and smile at him giving him all the information he needed without opening his mouth. Again Rusty looked disgusted as his hands flew up into his hair. "Oh God! This is beyond traumatising. Can't you wait?"

"It's been nearly five weeks. Five long hard weeks and if you'd seen the way Sharon looked at…."

"Do not finish that sentence!" Rusty shouted as he wished he had a time machine so he could stop Andy from selling his house so soon meaning there would have been somewhere else for them to go and this conversation would never have happened.

Andy smiled. "Oh come on kid have you never heard of a 'nooner'?"

Rusty looked at his watch. "It's 3:15."

"Then a 'late after-nooner.' Either way it's an 'er'."

Rusty's hands felt his stomach as if he was about to be sick. "That's funny I was just about to make that same noise myself."

"Look you clear out for me and your Mom today and next time you want Gus to stay over I can..."

"Stop talking! I'm going!" Rusty shouted as he picked up his laptop off the table and backpack from the floor. "Maybe I can see if that clinic from _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind_ really exists" he said as he headed towards the front door.

Andy produced his wallet from his pocket. "What about….."

"Keep it! Put it towards all the extra therapy I'm going to need" Rusty said as he walked through the front door, closing it behind him. No sooner had the door closed than it opened again as Rusty took a step back in, turning to look Andy in the eyes for the first time since 'climbing stairs' came into the conversation. "Just don't die….climbing stairs."

"I'll do my very best" Andy said with a smile. The thought had crossed his mind to be honest. He could have had sex a couple of weeks ago but opted against it until he was told for certain that he wouldn't die.

"Oh God!" Rusty cried once more as he stomped out of the condo and towards the elevator.

Andy sighed with relief. It was somewhat mission accomplished but not exactly in the way he'd hoped. Fingers crossed Rusty would be too horrified to share their conversation with Sharon he thought as he dug his cell phone out of his pocket and prepared to call her to tell her the good news about his clean bill of health and other subsequent medical clearances.

At PAB they had a suspect in custody and a confession on tape, not that they needed it. Video had emerged of not only the suspect killing their victim but also the moment he desperately tried to stuff him into the wood chipper to hide the evidence. It was not a pretty sight and definitely not for the faint of heart but it was an open and shut case and not a particularly taxing one at that. All that remained was for the deal to be made and the paperwork to be done. Even so despite the relatively easy nature of the murder they had been tasked with solving Sharon had found it hard to concentrate all morning. She had been desperate to accompany Andy to see his Doctor as she had with all his other appointments since he collapsed in the murder room. After two weeks of not wanting to let him out of her sight just in case something happened she had finally decided to let go as it wasn't healthy for her or their relationship and returned to work. Regardless she still worried and phoned Andy on the hour every hour to check on him. Another week past by before Andy insisted that she had to let go. She agreed but as a compromise Sharon went with him whenever he went to see his Doctor. At that particular moment in time Sharon waited somewhat impatiently on two fronts, she waited for Hobbs to arrive and finalise the deal so she could get home as early as possible and for Andy to call and let her know how he was and what his Doctor had said. She sat perched on the edge of Andy's vacant desk with her phone in her hand, amongst her division as Hobbs arrived.

"Good afternoon. I hear you have a deal for me to make with a wood chuck" Andrea said cheerily as she walked through the murder room towards Sharon.

"Something like that" Provenza said as he straightened his tie, ready to go back into the interview room with Andrea and his Captain.

"Is his lawyer here?"

"Waiting for you in Interview One" Sharon said as she pointed in that direction.

"After you." Andrea gestured for Sharon to lead the way as Provenza put his jacket on.

Sharon stood and started her journey to the interview room until the vibrations from her cell phone ringing stopped her dead in her tracks. She looked down at the caller ID and immediately froze. Looks of concern and joy did battle across her face. Andy was calling but would it be good or bad news on the other end of the line. At that precise moment Andy was very reminiscent of Schrödinger's Cat, both medical prognoses were true while the call remained unanswered. "Oh wait just one moment" Sharon said as she looked up from her phone. She answered her cell and tried her best to smile since all eyes were on her, with the division knowing full well who was calling her and what that call meant. "Hello" she said in a warm and loving tone.

"Hey" Andy replied as he sat down on the couch and put his feet on the coffee table.

"Are you back from the Doctor?" Sharon asked as calmly as possible but loud enough to enable all interested parties in the room to hear so she wouldn't have to repeat herself afterwards.

"Yeah, Rusty just brought me home. Am I interrupting anything? I can call…."

"No it's fine" Sharon said cutting him off and turning away from the eyes burning a hole in her. Slowly she took a few steps further towards her office for a tiny bit more privacy since everyone staring at her waiting for news started to make her feel a little uncomfortable. "Hobbs has only just arrived and besides you're more important."

"Charming" Andrea said jokingly eliciting a wave from Sharon to indicate she meant no offense but clearly the person unknown to her at the time on the phone was presently more important.

Provenza moved quickly to stand by his Captain's side, eager for information. "Is that Flynn?" he asked. Sharon nodded and smiled. "Well how is he?"

"Is that Andy?" Andrea asked as she finally fell in on what was happening. When she arrived on that particular floor the first thing she'd asked of late was 'How is Lieutenant Flynn?' but had been somewhat distracted by the details of the wood chipper to enquire on this occasion.

Sharon took another step away from Provenza seeking the smallest amount of privacy as she asked "So what did he say?"

"Good news. My stents still look good" Andy said as he led with the information he knew Sharon would want the most.

Sharon turned to face the division once more to keep them informed of the good news. "His stents are fine" she repeated to them.

Andy took his notepad from his pocket and started to read from his notes. When it came to Sharon and his health, accuracy and details were everything. "My blood pressure is 120/80."

Sharon smiled. "That's much better."

"Ah-ha" Andy replied.

Provenza looked impatient. "What?"

Sharon moved the phone from her ear. "His blood pressure is 120/80" she confirmed.

"My EKG showed a good sinus rhythm and there's no ischemic change" Andy read carefully.

At that moment Sharon sighed, releasing the breath she didn't know she was holding. She smiled and put her hand on Provenza's shoulder. "Andy that's wonderful." Again Provenza gave her a questioning look before she repeated "EKG showed a good sinus rhythm and there's no ischemic change."

Andy smiled. "My cholesterol is down by three points."

"Finally" Sharon said with chuckle. "His cholesterol is down" she once again confirmed to the group.

"And my blood panel came back completely normal" Andy added as he dropped his notepad on the table and ran a hand through his hair.

Sharon nodded at Provenza before telling him "All bloods normal." With a quick glance to the heavens she lifted her phone back to her mouth. "That's great Andy!"

"And just for an extra special treat he also checked my prostate."

Sharon laughed. "Oh and how was that?"

"All normal and as much fun as you'd imagine" he replied with a wince.

Sharon laughed again. "Men! You have no idea until you walk into a Doctor's office and see stirrups" she said with a smile. Amy and Andrea nodded at each other with complete understanding before all the men grimaced, realising what they were talking about.

"So with everything normal he's cleared me to drive straight away and I can start light desk duty from next Monday, emphasis on the light."

Sharon again sighed as she looked to the heavens, mouthing the words 'thank you.' It was better than she'd hoped for. Not only was he better but Andy returning to work, even with just a desk job, meant that life could finally continue. The life they were building for themselves together could move on after it was so rudely interrupted just a few inches from where she now stood. "That's fine. We have Wes as an extra body in the field anyway." Provenza looked at her bemused. "He can be back behind his desk on Monday" she confirmed.

Provenza huffed. "If I sign the paperwork. I've enjoyed the quietness over the last few weeks" he lied. He had missed his partner desperately and had been worried sick. He had been worried to the point that Patrice had started to worry about his own health. While Andy was in hospital Provenza spent more time by his side then he did at PAB and his own home combined during the same period. The whole situation had been rough on all of them, not just Andy and Sharon.

Andy grinned to himself. "Just one more thing."

"Yes."

"I can have sex again" he stated very clearly and matter-of-factly.

"And he can have..." Sharon repeated out loud without thinking. Thankfully her brain managed to process the information in time to cut her mouth off. Her eyes widened to an alarming size as her cheeks immediately blushed. She fell silent.

Provenza looked at her quizzically. "Captain are you okay?"

Sharon took a quick step away from Provenza and turned towards her office. "Sharon? Are you still there?" Andy said on the other end of the phone, confused by her sudden silence.

"I'm still here. He said this?" she asked as she tugged her bottom lip into her mouth.

"Yes he did" Andy uttered confidently.

Provenza looked about his colleagues and was met with his same confused and worried expression in return. He took a step closer to Sharon. "What's the matter?" he asked.

"Nothing" Sharon replied waving him away as she attempted again to put some distance between her and everyone else. This was definitely a conversation she wanted to have in private if only they'd let her. "Did you ask him or did he just volunteer this information?" she asked Andy.

"Captain?" Provenza asked again causing her to turn around to face them so she could at least prove that she wasn't hiding something of a troublesome nature from them.

"He said I could resume normal physical activity which includes sex. Then I got him to put it in writing just in case you didn't believe me" he said, his smile almost audible.

Sharon smiled as she quickly looked at her watch. "Of course you did" she said with a sigh as she realised that even with a deal imminent it would still be hours before she could get away from PAB.

"Well I'll let you get back to work" Andy said kindly before making a valiant attempt to lure her home early. "Rusty has gone to spend the rest of the day with Gus so I've got the place all to myself." Suddenly his voice change to an almost smouldering gravelly growl, a tone Sharon had become accustomed to when they were alone in their bedroom as he said "I think I'll have a shower. A long hot shower. You know how much I love to stand there and let the water just cascade over my body." He sighed in an almost low moan, a moan Sharon last heard over five weeks ago.

Sharon stared into space as she listened to him, her mind filled with the image of Andy in that shower. "Yes" she uttered in an almost orgasmic whisper.

He was teasing her, goading her into coming home, skipping work to be with him and she knew it. Resisting it was another thing entirely. This was not the first time he had used such tactics although it was the first time he had done it while she was at work. On days when she would be spending the afternoon or evening at his house, he would call and encourage her to come over early, that smouldering growl ensuring she would drop what she was doing and head to his house immediately. More often than not his plans when Sharon arrived involved music. Andy had very limited range when it came to music and he stuck to the music of his youth. This meant he listened to everyone from Tony Bennett to Frank Sinatra to Bobby Darin, all the music he heard floating from open windows in his neighbourhood on long summer evenings in Jersey (with stories that often made his childhood sound like a cross between _The Godfather_ and _Goodfellas_ ). But when it came to Sharon he had the habit of finding random and often fairly modern songs to put his point across, his point being 'I'm going to seduce you tonight whether you like it or not.' At first it started as a joke to make Sharon feel more comfortable in his home after they started dating. She was nervous about spending time with him alone there in case her 'go slow' request fell apart the first time he smiled at her. To make her feel less nervous and to make her laugh, the second time Sharon went to Andy's for a date she heard Marvin Gaye's ' _Get It On_ ' playing loudly the moment she pulled up outside. Sharon knew Andy wasn't going to apply pressure to her to make her speed their relationship up and as a result laughed at his musical choice, the desired effect he was hoping for.

Andy's sultry remarks on the phone about his long hot shower reminded Sharon of a dinner at his house three days before their first anniversary. They were going to go out for dinner but at the very last moment Andy phoned and told her to come to his house instead, the growl in his voice making her marginally close to breaking the speed limit on her journey. She arrived at his door to discover a handwritten note stuck to the outside which read _'Come In! PLEASE Come In!'_ When she opened the door she was immediately greeted by Andy's song of choice blasting from his iPad. She didn't know the artist or where he'd discovered it but the gist of the chorus was _'If you want it to be good girl, get yourself a bad boy.'_ That was it, she laughed hysterically and wanted him immediately and she hadn't even clapped eyes on him (she was actually twenty minutes late so assumed he'd been listening to it on repeat in that time). She eventually found him cooking in the kitchen wearing nothing but an apron and the tie she had bought him as her very first present for him (and no it wasn't around his neck). With the tone in his voice on that phone call she knew she'd hear some random song blasting from the stereo the moment she put the key in the door when she arrived home which she now hoped would be sooner rather than later.

Andy laughed to himself, knowing he had Sharon right where he wanted her and it would only be a matter of time before she burst through their front door and grabbed him. "I'll see you later. I love you."

After Andy hung up the phone without waiting for her response, Sharon stood frozen to the spot for a minute with her cell still pressed to her ear. The wide eyed, dazed and flushed expression on her face was suddenly a great cause for concern amongst the watching division.

"Captain?" Provenza asked finally. When she didn't answer he took a step closer and called her name again. "Sharon?"

Sharon continued to look like she was in a world of her own as she slowly put her cell back into her pocket. She shook her head as she finally registered Provenza's bulging eyes staring at her with concern. "Yes Lieutenant?"

"What was that all about?"

"Nothing he was just going over it again" she lied not so convincingly.

Andrea crossed the room to Sharon and put a hand on her shoulder showing her worry at her suddenly odd behaviour. "Sharon are you okay? You're blushing."

"It's just relief that's all" Sharon replied fanning her face. "It's been a tough few weeks."

"I'm so happy for you both" Andrea said kindly as she quickly embraced her.

"Thank you."

"Yes that's great news Captain" Amy said as she swivelled back and forth in her chair.

"So Andy can come back to work?" Mike asked.

"Yes on Monday but desk work only until he's off the blood thinners" Sharon confirmed as she again glanced at her watch, pondering for the second time in the space of less than a minute if it would be possible to leave work within the following thirty seconds.

"And when will that be ma'am?" Julio questioned. Sharon didn't answer. She looked at her watch once more as she bit on her lip, staring across the room without seeing a single face looking back at her as her mind could only focus on one thing: Andy.

"Captain?" Provenza asked again.

Sharon immediately started to blink rapidly and move her attention back to the people in front of her. "Oh the Doctor said six to nine months the last time we spoke but it all depends really. It could be sooner. It could be longer."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Andrea asked again.

"I'm fine" Sharon said cheerily.

"So shall we do this?" Andrea said as she indicated the interview room.

Sharon stared at her blankly for a moment as she weighed up her options. To her she really only had one. She had to stay at work, get this deal finalised and wrap up the mountain of paperwork that a murder case entails. She had to. She had no other choice she thought. Then a little voice appeared in the back of her mind, a voice that sounded suspiciously like a certain Andrew Flynn and quietly said 'Or do you?' The more Sharon thought about it the more she realised that there was very little that she could contribute to the upcoming deal making process that Lieutenant Provenza couldn't easily do in her absence and her paperwork could wait until tomorrow, that's if she didn't start it at home later in the evening. They had their suspect on tape committing the murder. He had confessed to it on tape. He had written it all down willingly before he even thought to ask if he needed an attorney. He was going to prison for the rest of his life without any fuss at all. Leaving work early suddenly seemed like the best idea in the world. Sharon could spend the evening curled up on the couch or in bed with Andy and catch up on her paperwork. Perfect! Then suddenly another voice popped up in her mind, a voice she'd listened to nearly all of her life. A voice that told her she was being ridiculous. No, no, Sharon had to stay at work. Sharon couldn't believe what she was thinking, she'd lost her mind. She couldn't run off home to have sex with her boyfriend in the middle of the afternoon during an active case for crying out loud, no matter what good news he had just received. Sure other people could but not Sharon Raydor, the Captain of Major Crimes, the Queen of the Rulebook. Except it wasn't just about the sex she rationed, it was about celebrating with the love of his life after one of the toughest periods of their lives, not just as a couple but individually as well. Andy's collapse and subsequent stay in hospital had frightened them all, the entire division would feel the need to celebrate his return to health with him when they could therefore no one would be surprised if she left early so they could celebrate together. She sighed to herself. She was being utterly ridiculous. She knew she had to stay at work and Andy would just have to wait, he wasn't going anywhere and it was sort of exciting, the notion of delayed gratification. Knowing he was waiting for her and what she had to look forward to when she got home. With that thought spreading to her face, she smiled obscenely to herself before finally registering Andrea staring back at her.

"Yes" Sharon said finally as she set off towards Interview One before stopping dead in her tracks. "No" she said suddenly. Sharon again looked at her watch before her eyes went back and forth between Andrea and Provenza as she desperately tried to make a decision about what to do. Could she do this? Could she leave before the very end of the case to be with Andy? She sighed again. A decision had been made and there was no turning back now. "Erm...Rusty has had to leave so Andy has been left at his Doctor's office" she said as confidently as possible to mask her frankly odd behaviour.

"Shall I send a patrol car to pick him up?" Provenza asked.

"No that's okay. I'll do it." Sharon smiled.

"But what about the moron in there?" Provenza pointed out.

Sharon put her hand on his shoulder. "We have a confession and the murder on film. This case is pretty much wrapped up. I trust you and DDA Hobbs can tie the bow on it in my absence Lieutenant."

Provenza looked flustered and confused. "Well of course if you're sure."

"I am" Sharon stated as she headed for the exit.

Julio raised his hand. "I can pick Lieutenant Flynn up if you'd like ma'am" he said getting to his feet and reaching for his jacket.

"No really it's fine. I was supposed to take him myself so I'll feel better if I pick him up since we're pretty much done here. Let me know how it goes." With that Sharon rather hurriedly left the murder room as everyone else looked at each other baffled. Sharon Raydor leaving before a case was closed? Under the circumstances everyone felt that her actions were fully justified after what had happened with Andy but nevertheless it still came as a surprise. Before anyone had chance to speak and express their surprise Sharon put in an appearance again, moving at speed towards her office. "Keys!" she said to no one in particular as she grabbed her car keys from her desk drawer and left the murder room at a steady pace. Once again she didn't make it much further as she turned around and shouted "Purse!" on her way back to her office. Considering how distracted she felt with the image of Andy naked being the only thing she could think of she would have forgotten her head if it wasn't screwed on. With her keys now in one hand, her purse in her other and beyond flustered at the thought of Andy standing in the shower waiting for her after nearly five weeks and a lot of emotional stress in the interim, Sharon left the murder room one final time. As the door closed several seconds past by where no one could do anything but stare after her.

After he was sure she had really gone this time Provenza turned to Andrea and with a shudder asked "He can also have sex again can't he?"

Andrea smiled. "Oh I should say so."

Once free of Major Crimes Sharon tried to move as quickly as possible without drawing attention to her uncharacteristic behaviour, after all she didn't run when Andy was rushed to hospital when he collapsed in her bathroom twelve months ago but here she was practically sprinting from the murder room. Sadly once again she was stopped in her tracks but not because she had forgotten something but because Chief Howard was suddenly moving towards her with an incredibly warm smile on his face and evidently five minutes to kill.

"Hi Captain."

"Chief. Good afternoon" Sharon replied without stopping as she walked straight past him on her way to the elevator.

"Did you get an ID on your pile of goo from the wood chipper?"

Sharon stopped, her shoulders slumped as she spun around on the spot to face him. This is a delay she didn't want nor had anticipated but it was Chief Howard, she would never ignore him. "Yes we did. We have a suspect in custody, a written confession and Hobbs is here to finalise the deal. We have him committing the murder on film, it's an open and shut case Chief. If you'll excuse me" Sharon said as she turned to head towards the elevator once more.

"You're leaving?" Fritz asked.

Sharon stopped again and turned back towards him. "Yes Chief. Lieutenant Provenza and DDA Hobbs have it all in hand." Without waiting for a response or offering any sort of explanation Sharon turned on her heels once more.

Fritz smiled, smelling a rat because after all this was the most un-Captain Raydor like behaviour he had ever seen from his wife's former nemesis. "Where are you going exactly at" Fritz looked at his watch, "3:20 on a Wednesday if you don't mind my asking?"

Sharon sighed before walking back to Fritz, ready to have the conversation she was desperate to avoid. And what would she say? Only a half-truth at best. "Andy had a final appointment with his Doctor today. I couldn't go with him because we were trying to identify our victim. Since my team can handle it from here Chief I'd like to go and collect him from the Doctor's office." She smiled, hoping he would understand despite the fact she was leaving before an active case was officially closed.

Fritz smiled. He had no objection to Sharon doing whatever she wanted under the current circumstances. Having worked closely himself with the majority of her division for over a decade he knew they could handle things in her absence like they had while she was at the hospital and the weeks that followed. "Of course Captain. Is he coming back to work?"

"Yes. His Doctor has cleared him for light desk duty starting next Monday."

"Really?"

Sharon frowned. "You sound surprised."

"Just to see him back here again that's all" Fritz replied.

"Is this your way of insinuating Lieutenant Flynn should be taking retirement Chief?" Sharon asked, her annoyance clearly apparent if not from her tone then by her sudden insistence on using 'Lieutenant Flynn' rather than 'Andy' in the conversation.

"No Captain not at all" Fritz said quickly to defuse any building tension. He smiled. "Look Sharon I know this is a difficult position for you, for both of you but you handle it really really well. I know Taylor thought so too. I'm only Interim Chief. I have no desire to take the job or make any drastic changes so any decision about Andy's future is between you, him and whomever takes this job if it comes to that. In the meantime I'll give you both all the time and support you need" he added as he patted her on the arm.

Sharon's frown softened. "Thank you Chief."

"You've discussed his return officially?"

"Not really" Sharon confirmed. "We've spoken about it personally but not officially. Since he's climbing the walls at home and he couldn't wait to tell me the news he'll be coming back to work I've no doubt."

Fritz laughed to himself. It came as no surprise to him that Sharon and Andy sometimes needed to have the same conversation twice in order for them to claim to have discussed it in both capacities. It sometimes made them feel like there were four different people in their relationship, Sharon, Andy, the Captain and her Lieutenant but it worked for them and they saw no reason to change it. "But no field work because of the blood thinners right?" Fritz asked knowingly.

"That's right."

"For maybe six months?"

Sharon looked at Fritz suspiciously. "That's right. How do you..."

Fritz cut her off. "I may have had a little experience in this area. It's a long and complicated story but if Andy wants a chat sometime, tell him to come and knock on my door."

"I will do Chief. Thank you."

"I'll let you go. You should celebrate" Fritz added with a smile before he walked around the corner and to the break room.

"You have no idea" Sharon said to herself when she was sure he was out of earshot before turning and heading to the elevator as quickly as her legs could carry her.

With her finger primed before the elevator was even in sight, Sharon jabbed at the button to call it, tapping her foot impatiently on the floor as she watched the numbers tick towards her above her head. She sighed as she waited. She was always slightly impatient as she waited for the elevator on a regular day, eager to leave PAB and wash the stress of the day off her but right now she was desperate. Desperate to get home as quickly as possible and celebrate some good news for the first time in a long time. It occurred to her quite quickly that she was currently being motivated purely by lust, there was no other way to describe it. It was a sensation she was unaccustomed to. She liked to think of herself as a completely in control person, not ruled by the more baser instincts but all of that went out of the window the moment Andy mentioned that he had been given the all clear to do more than just drive. She wanted him. She wanted him as quickly as humanly possible, a sensation which was only heightened after a five week break and the not so small fact that she'd nearly lost him altogether. As she waited for the elevator she couldn't help but let her mind drift, to Andy. To his hands on her skin, to his lips on her…

"Captain! I was just coming to see you" Dr Joe said with surprise as he stepped out from the elevator with a heavy limp.

With her mind elsewhere it took a moment for Sharon to register not only that she actually knew the man in front of her but that he had spoken directly to her. "Dr Joe! What a nice surprise. How are you?" she said quickly as her mouth finally kicked into gear.

"I'm good thank you Captain" Joe replied with a smile as he indicated his arm that was now free of the sling it wore the last time she had seen him. He still walked with a stick but in the grand scheme of things, he was incredibly lucky. There had been an overlap at the hospital with Joe being discharged a day before Andy allowing Sharon the opportunity to secretly visit with him when she was pretending to have gone home to get some rest, as per Andy's very specific instructions.

"Wonderful" Sharon said with a smile. As pleased as she was to see him and looking so well at that she was also still eager to leave as quickly as possible and made a valiant attempt to slip past him and into the elevator.

"How is Lieutenant Flynn?"

"On the mend thank you." With a sigh Sharon realised Joe clearly wanted to talk to her and had perhaps come specifically to see her and therefore had to put her plans on hold once more no matter how frustrating that may be. The problem was she was really happy to see Joe and on any other day would have welcomed him into her office with a hug and an offer of something to drink. She was just about to do that very thing when she realised that everyone else was under the assumption she was leaving to collect Andy from the Doctor's office and if she didn't want them to book her an appointment with Behavioural Sciences she had to stick to that lie and forego a lengthy chat with Joe. "You were coming to see me?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes just to say thank you to you and your division..."

"There's really no need Doctor" Sharon insisted. In truth there was every need. If they hadn't discovered that Martin Borja was at the heart of the conspiracy there was nothing to say another attempt wouldn't have been made on Joe's life to ensure that final lose string that connected Dwight to him had been tied up. That was the reason that he remained 'dead' in hospital until it was all worked out (which was actually longer than anticipated since Amy's phone call to notify his family was delayed after her rush to grab the aspirin once Andy fell to the floor), they just didn't know if someone would have tried again. In essence they saved his life. Regardless as lovely as it was to see him Sharon didn't have the time to be thanked at that particular moment in time. "I have to go but my division are in the murder room if you'd like to speak to them. I was on my way to collect Andy from the Doctor's office."

"Of course. Send him my best."

"I will. Sorry. I've got to run" Sharon said quickly as she squeezed past him into the elevator and hit the button.

"Okay. Bye Captain" Joe managed to get out before the doors closed in his face. He stared at the elevator doors with a smile before heading off towards Major Crimes.

On the ride down Sharon paced around the tiny space like an animal in a zoo as she watched the floors tick down on the LCD screen. Luckily she was alone or there was a very real chance she could have exploded from the nervous energy that she was unable to expend. Then the doors opened and Sharon instantly had the shock of her life. Standing outside the elevator with his back to her was a gentleman, a stocky gentleman with very short grey, almost white hair. He was suited and booted very smartly and clutching a briefcase in hand. Sharon took one look at him and exclaimed "Oh God!" very very loudly under the assumption that not just another obstacle was in the way but that it took the form of Jack Raydor. With her words still rattling around the elevator the man turned around stunned revealing that his hair and build were where the similarities with Jack ended. "Sorry I thought you were somebody else" Sharon said with one hand clutching her chest before vanishing from the scene of the crime as quickly as possible.

Over the years Sharon had rather enjoyed the fact that the parking garage for PAB was a block away from the main building. It allowed her the pleasure of a short gentle stroll in the sunshine before work every day. On the way home sometimes she felt the pressure of her job falling from her shoulders as she made her way back to her car in the fresh air. More recently she enjoyed that it gave her the opportunity to take Andy's hand for that brief journey between the two buildings, especially at the end of a long and stressful day. But at this moment in time, she cursed it. As she scuttled towards the parking garage as quickly as she could without drawing attention to herself she bemoaned the fact that they no longer occupied Parker Centre, if they did she would already be driving home by now.

Avoiding all eye contact should yet another person want to strike up a conversation and delay her further, Sharon reached the parking garage and darted inside with her speed increasing the closer she got to her car like she was being drawn in by a tractor beam. Suddenly Sharon heard a crack and became aware that her one foot was inexplicably colder than the other. She stopped and turned to see her right shoe several steps behind her with the heel stuck in a drain. Sharon looked to the heavens before a loud cry of "WHY?!" sprang from her lips. She walked back to her shoe, glaring at it like it had done it deliberately just to spite her before grabbing it and trying to pry it free. It wouldn't budge. Sharon sat on the floor with a thud and tried again, heaving with all her might but the damn thing just wouldn't move. Her head instantly found her hands as she started laughing hysterically. She made quite a slight, the Captain from Major Crimes sitting on the floor of the parking garage next to a shoe and laughing manically like she was a sandwich short of a picnic all because she was racing home to have sex. "I don't believe this" she uttered while shaking with laughter before making one final attempt to free her vindictive piece of footwear. When it wouldn't move Sharon quickly got back to her feet, smoothed her dress and jacket back down and proclaimed "Fine! Stay there!" before limping the rest of her way to her car, leaving her shoe for someone else to deal with.

As she drove home as safely as possible (with the desire to speed with her lights flashing and mounting the sidewalk if necessary being overwhelming but suppressed at the expense of indigestion) Sharon wondered what else could possibly be thrown in her path to prevent her from getting her hands on Andy. She didn't wonder long. It wasn't a long drive back to her condo that they now shared but it was long enough when construction workers had half the roads closed, a fender bender obstructed an intersection and a gentleman, whom she often bought a coffee and a sandwich for when she spotted him walking around the outside of her building with a placard proclaiming the end of the world and offering free hugs, blocked the entrance to the parking garage. Once she was parked Sharon slowly walked to the elevator, wanting to appear calm when she saw Andy and not at all like she had raced home to be with him even though her mere presence at that point in the afternoon made that fact abundantly clear. On the ride up she composed herself, content that she had overcome the last hurdle and she would soon be with him, once again she was wrong.

As Sharon passed the front door of her neighbour's condo it sprung open like the occupant, Mrs Rose, had been waiting for her, ready to pounce. Sharon knew she was going to complain about something, she always did, but kept moving regardless until she heard her shrill voice behind her.

"Officer Raydor can I speak with you for a moment" Mrs Rose said hurriedly.

Sharon stopped dead and sighed. "Captain" she replied.

"I beg your pardon?"

Sharon turned to face this latest obstacle. "Captain. It's Captain Raydor but never mind." Sharon sighed again. "What can I help you with _today_ Mrs Rose?" she asked with all the emphasis on the word 'today' indicating once more her annoyance at her neighbour's excessive list of complaints.

"Noise."

"Noise?"

"Yes noise from your living room. Music. Loud music. That boy is determined to make my life a living hell" Mrs Rose said loudly with a finger pointed towards Sharon's front door.

Sharon took a step closer, clenching her fists as she tried to calm herself down. Violence was really not in her nature but such were the complaints from Mrs Rose and her attitude towards Rusty that Sharon found herself constantly battling with her rage. "That 'boy' you speak of happens to be my beautiful son. His name is Rusty. And Rusty doesn't play music in the living room only in his bedroom which is far enough away for you to have not heard it." This was not the first time that Mrs Rose had complained about Rusty despite the fact that he had done nothing wrong. When she first saw him she reacted like Sharon had brought a bear home with her that was going to cause disruption on a daily basis and potentially eat her the first opportunity he got.

"Well I'm not imagining things" Mrs Rose protested.

"I'm sure you're not Mrs Rose" Sharon said before she realised what was going on. She smiled. "It must have been my boyfriend."

"Your 'boyfriend'?" Mrs Rose asked with disgust. "You allow a stranger to remain in your home while you're out?"

Sharon laughed. "Well he's certainly a strange man but very far from a stranger. Andy lives with me now."

Mrs Rose looked beyond disgusted with the behaviour of a woman very close to her own age. "I see and you don't care what the church has to say about living in sin?"

Sharon smiled. "You know what, I really don't. Yes I am a divorcee living in sin with my boyfriend and I love it. Now if you don't mind Andy has just been given the all clear after his recent heart attack and he's waiting for me to have sex. Hot, sweaty, animal sex. And he's really really good but don't worry we'll try to keep the noise down."

With that Sharon turned on her heels and walked to her front door. Behind her she heard Mrs Rose huff before her door closed. Immediately Sharon stopped as she covered her mouth with her hands in absolute horror. She couldn't believe what she had just said. It couldn't have been less like her but she was currently so frustrated by the continuous interruptions on her way home and the incessant whining and complaining by Mrs Rose was simply the straw that broke the camel's back. She laughed to herself. She'd have to apologise but right now she had bigger fish to fry.

Sharon put her key in the door and then stopped as she heard the music drifting towards her. She smiled but hated that he knew she couldn't help but rush home before realising that she didn't really care. It was a momentous moment. He was better and she wanted nothing more than to be with him. She pressed her ear to the door to listen to the song he had selected while she had chance before becoming otherwise occupied. Again she didn't recognise it. She was a staunch lover of opera and anything classical and had no idea where he kept finding these random and usually inappropriate songs which always made her laugh. She listened as the chorus kicked in. _'Cause I like you so much better when you're naked. I like me so much better when you're naked.'_ Sharon covered her mouth and laughed. No wonder Mrs Rose had complained. She knew from experience that he'd probably had it playing for close to an hour on repeat in anticipation of her hopeful early arrival home.

Now that she was home she suddenly felt the desire to make him sweat a little. Make Andy believe that she didn't find him as irresistible as she did. Sharon took a step back. She could go and sit in her car. Go to that coffee shop she liked on the corner, anything to put Andy in his place for a moment. Then she thought about him in the shower and how close she came to losing him and all rational thought went back out of the window as she lunged for the door handle.

Sharon opened the door more quickly than she aimed for, resulting in it swinging open and banging against the wall as she entered. The force of the impact with the wall caused it to close again behind her without assistance, adding more than an ounce of drama to the proceedings. The sound immediately put Andy in mind of Sharon's entrance into the interview room holding Bo McClaren. The vibrations from the door hitting the wall on that occasion could be felt in electronics with Julio turning to him and saying 'Sir, don't ever make her mad' followed by collective nodding from the rest of the group watching. Sharon's eyes scanned the living room as she marched in, dumping her purse and her keys on the floor without a second thought. Then she saw him. He had changed since that morning. When she left for work Andy was wearing a pair of jeans and a beige shirt over a white t-shirt. He was now dressed for work all bar his jacket, in black suit pants, a black waistcoat, black tie and that mint green shirt that she loved so much. Unusually for Andy his sleeves were rolled up which allowed the blood pressure cuff wrapped around his bicep to rest comfortably. He sat in the chair furthest from the television facing away from her and looking out the window.

"Hi" Sharon squeaked out a little breathlessly following her accidentally overly dramatic entrance. There was more than a hint of relief in her single syllable greeting, as there was every time she had come home over the previous few weeks and discovered him healthy and happy.

Andy turned his seat around very slowly, like a Bond villain greeting 007 and revealing he was the cause of all of his woes all along. All he needed was a white cat purring on his lap and a scar down one side of his face to complete the picture. Instead he had a blood pressure cuff attached to his arm and a look of pure unadulterated sex about him. He tried to hide his smug smile. He hoped Sharon would come home early, he'd prepared for it with his change in wardrobe and musical accompaniment but he honestly wasn't sure. "Hello. You're back early" he replied while turning his smoulder up a notch.

Although he didn't show it Andy was nervous. If he was honest with himself he'd admit that he was also a bit scared. It was a terrifying sensation, that pain in his chest, coming face to face with his own mortality for the second time in less than twelve months. But unlike last time when an accident was the cause of his consternation, now it was a part of him, an old friend that had been beating comfortably in his chest every second of his life so far. He had no control over it but it had full control over him, killing him at will if it so choose. As his recovery started it was made very clear to him at the hospital that he could have sex again as soon as he could comfortably climb stairs and although he maintained it was out of the question until he had written proof to appease Sharon, he also wanted written proof for himself to know that he wasn't going to die. As he waited for Sharon to come home he also realised that it wasn't just his mortality that was bothering him. It had been a long five weeks and he was nervous, as nervous as he was during their first time together. Sharon was likewise apprehensive about it. She had worried after his accident that she might kill him when they had sex, in the end it almost became like a running joke. Andy lost count the amount of times Sharon checked his pulse before she would contemplate doing anything even remotely stimulating with him. At the time Sharon rationed that if he couldn't even cross his legs, then sex was right out of the question. However that was only a blood clot which was incredibly serious but this was his heart. He'd had a heart attack. He had an angina spray permanently on his person just in case. Having sex could surely kill him. After he returned home from the hospital Sharon insisted on doing everything possible so he didn't think of sex. Sharon had never had much of an ego but one was developing because of Andy. It was hard not to when he looked at her like a dog looking at meat in a butcher's window, complete with his tongue hanging out. She had gone from wearing his shirts and her pyjamas in bed to suddenly wearing silk sexy nightgowns after he moved in (with the sudden change being explained as 'Now I have a boy living with me I'd better start to make an effort'). After his heart attack Sharon came to bed in sweaters and sweat pants. She all but had spinach in her teeth to make sure she didn't turn him on. The bathroom door was locked tight when she was in the shower and she made sure he didn't see even so much as an ounce of flesh should it be too much for his heart.

"Oh shut up" Sharon said quickly with no time for games. They both knew why she'd come home from work so early and it was time to get the ball rolling. "Show me" she added as she approached him, wanting the written proof from the Doctor that he was telling the truth before she went any further.

"Do you want to take my blood pressure? I'm all prepped and raring to go." Andy squeezed the pump on his blood pressure cuff as he grinned at her.

"Later. Show me first."

Sharon stood before him with her hands on her hips in tantalising fashion. He couldn't help but let his eyes scan her from top to bottom which is when he noticed she was only wearing one shoe. "Where's your shoe?"

"It's in the parking garage at PAB" Sharon said dismissively.

Andy laughed. "Why?"

"The heel got stuck in a crack."

"So you left it?"

"Yes. Show me" Sharon added growing increasingly impatient.

"Show you what?" Andy asked mischievously.

"You know very well."

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

"Andy!" Sharon shouted. He immediately laughed as he took to his feet for the first time since she arrived home and produced a folded piece of paper from his pocket. He handed it to her but held onto the corner tightly, teasing her and forcing her to tug it from his grip. She sighed at him as she unfolded it. The paper looked like official stationary with the Doctor's contact information printed on the bottom. It read: _'I hereby certify that Lieutenant Andrew Flynn is medically stable enough to engage in regular physical activity again (including sex). Signed Doctor Matthew Robinson.'_ Andy couldn't help but grin as Sharon's eyes scanned the paper, once, twice, three time, her lips curling upwards at the edges as she absorbed the content. Finally her eyes met his. "This is real?" she asked holding the note aloft.

Andy smirked. "Turn it over" he said with a raise of his eyebrows. Sharon turned the paper to find a second hand written note reading ' _Sex increases the body's immune system, it lowers blood pressure, it can count as exercise (although I recommend a treadmill as well), lowers the risk of heart attacks by raising heart rates and keeping hormone levels balanced and eases stress. Trust me Captain, it's good for him.'_ Andy grinned obscenely as Sharon read it, rocking back and forth on his heels like a schoolboy waiting for his Mother to finish reading his report card. He knew that Sharon would potentially need a little more persuasion since she'd spent so many weeks frightened of killing him following his blood clot surgery and rightly assumed it was easier to plead for the Doctor's assistance than to convince Sharon on his own. "It's good for me apparently" Andy stated as his smile spread from ear to ear.

Sharon turned the paper over again, reading both sides and examining the handwriting just to make sure. It definitely wasn't Andy's bordering on illegible scrawl but it was also a little hard to read so it had to have been written by someone in the medical profession. Lowering the paper she looked up at Andy, their eyes meeting. His smug expression had gone and was replaced with a gentle smile, the smile she fell in love with. Without realising it Sharon had become flushed while her chest rose and fell rapidly with anticipation. She turned, taking a few steps away from him and sitting down on the couch. She sighed as Andy just watched her. Sharon sat for a moment before springing to her feet and marching back to him, gently putting her hands on his shoulders like he could still break under her fingers if she wasn't careful. Again she backed away and sat on the coffee table. Another sigh followed before she was back on her feet and standing before Andy once more. They stared at each other in silence for a moment from just a few inches away then suddenly, without realising she was going to, she pounced on him.

Their lips collided in a frenzy, nearly knocking Andy off his feet such was the sudden nature of the way Sharon grabbed him. It was passion personified as Sharon let go of the piece of paper and wrapped her arms around him, slipping one underneath his waistcoat as she pulled his shirt from his pants while the other clung to his back, pulling him closer to her. Likewise Andy gripped her tightly as if his life depended on it. Sharon poured everything she had into that kiss. Five weeks of stress and worry, relief and joy. It was an assault, a complete assault on his lips and he returned it with equal urgency.

As soon as Andy took a single step towards manoeuvring them into their bedroom Sharon suddenly broke their lips apart. She stared at him breathlessly with a look of concern. "Are you sure?" she asked still gripping him tightly.

Andy smiled before planting a soft gentle kiss to her lips. "Absolutely. You're not going to kill me. In fact I'm healthier now than I was the last time we did it. A lot healthier" he added as he ran his fingers down her cheek. It was true. If he was ever going to die while having sex it was the last time they did it, the night before his heart attack when he fell asleep rubbing his neck and shoulder because of an irritatingly sickly pain that kept popping up from time to time and shot straight to his tooth over the previous couple of weeks. In comparison he was currently as healthy as a horse.

"A lot healthier?" Sharon questioned, still a little unsure.

Andy smiled again. "Here let me show you" he replied as he slowly moved their lips together once more. It started slow but before long their tongues where leading each other in a merry dance before the next interruption as Andy felt the blood pressure cuff around his arm start to inflate. As they broke apart he laughed while Sharon checked his results. "What happened to your case?" he asked in the knowledge that she surely had left before everything was done and dusted.

Sharon's smile beamed as she looked at his blood pressure reading. It was all normal. As she simultaneously joined their lips together while taking his monitor off and throwing it onto the couch, her speech was punctuated by kisses. "Provenza." Kiss. "Hobbs." Kiss. "Sort it out." Their lips came together again before Sharon pulled apart one final time with a smile. She bit her lip. "Is that your angina spray in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?"

Andy raised an eyebrow and growled in her ear "You'll just have to take my pants off and find out."


End file.
